Historic forums planned for inter-conference dialogue

Eastern District and Franconia conference leaders have planned two delegate forums this spring to continue the exploration of a shared future. The forums will be held on March 29 and May 24 at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in Lansdale, PA and will include presentations from conference historians and conversations about the nature of each conference and possible next steps. read more

Does Mennonite Matter? A night for youth and parents

How or why does identifying as Mennonite matter for today’s youth? That’s the question speaker Dale Schrag will explore at an April 11 seminar for youth and parents at Salford Mennonite Church starting at 7 p.m. The event, sponsored by Eastern District and Franconia Conferences, related Mennonite schools, and a number of area churches, is part of a twice a year series designed to stimulate and encourage Sr. High youth and their parents in their faith walk. The event is free of charge and high school aged Mennonite youth and their parents are encouraged to attend. Dale Schrag is the campus pastor and the director of church relations at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, and is a regular speaker on … read more

What does Franconia Conference do together?

by Steve Kriss, Philadelphia Praise Center, skriss@franconiaconference.org Franconia Conference: Together. Bersama, Juntos. Cúng Nhau. This sense of togetherness, of Conference, is a relationship that is sometimes tense and sometimes harmonious, counter to the individualistic and isolationist impulses of our time. We are striving to be held together as congregations, under a common willingness to follow after Jesus, to live in this historic and contemporary Anabaptist stream, to give and receive counsel, to share our gifts and resources, all for the glory of God. Together. Bersama, Juntos. Cúng Nhau. Posters with these words were distributed at Conference Assembly 2011. But the question sometimes lingers—what does Conference do? Equipping congregations Franconia Conference, in the form of our new LEADership minister, Jenifer Eriksen-Morales, … read more

Connections: Interview with Ted Swartz

Ted Swartz, creator of Ted & Company, is bringing his Peace, Pies, & Prophets Tour to eastern Pennsylvania next week. In this episode of Connections, Ted talks about his roots in Franconia Conference, the heart behind his show “I’d Like to Buy an Enemy,” and the cool factor–which he may or may not have.

Global Faith: Local Context Class scheduled for March 2012 at the Mennonite Heritage Center

The Mennonite Heritage Center, 565 Yoder Road, Harleysville, announces a class on “Global Faith: Local Context” scheduled for Thursday evening March 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2012 from 6:30-9:15 pm. The course, sponsored by Eastern Mennonite University Seminary, will be taught by Dr. Derek Cooper, assistant professor of Biblical Studies and Historical Theology at Biblical Seminary, Hatfield, Pa. The Global Faith class will discuss the four most influential and global non-Christian faiths by focusing on the history, sacred texts, and key events and persons associated with these religions. It also will explore how these religions are not just isolated or in far-away places, but how they are alive and thriving in our local contexts. Participants can receive a continuing education … read more

Long Haul Hope: Ash Wednesday Thoughts

by Samantha E. Lioi

Driven by the Holy Spirit, Jesus is in the wilderness with a lot of people these days. It’s crowded, and the scarcity of resources keenly felt. Even so, it is a place of surprising and dogged hope.

Last July I traveled to Colombia for two weeks on a Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation. A truly international group of us – from Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ethiopia, India, and Illinois – became a team who would learn from, accompany, and support the CPT Colombia team and their partners, especially leaders of peasant-farmer or campesino organizations struggling to remain on their land or return to it. read more

Conference board and staff review vision & finance goals

by Emily Ralph, eralph@franconiaconference.org Franconia Conference board and staff decided last month to phase out the conference’s Vision and Finance Plan. The two groups gathered at Wellspring Church of Skippack (Pa.) on January 30 for a day-long retreat to discuss vision for the next five years. Board and staff members reviewed and discussed the conference’s “E-3” vision (Equipping Leaders to Empower Others to Embrace God’s Mission), priorities (formational, missional, and intercultural), and the Vision and Finance Plan (VFP). The group moved to consensus that the VFP, which was created in 2007 to give recommendations for decision-making about properties, staffing, and the implementation of the “E-3” Vision, had served an important function but had reached the end of its helpfulness. The … read more

Conference students recognized for excellence in academic achievement

Franconia Conference college students were recognized last week for excellence in academic achievement at Hesston & Goshen Colleges. From Hesston’s Honor Roll: Matt Hershey, son of Jim and Brenda Hershey, is a freshman and a member of Salford Mennonite. From Goshen’s Dean’s List: Lydia Anne Alderfer, daughter of Dwight and Beverly Alderfer of Harleysville, is a junior studying sociology. She is a 2009 graduate of Souderton Area High School and attends Salford Mennonite Church. Christian Lederach Allebach, son of Rebecca Coppola of Ambler, is a sophomore studying molecular biology/biochemistry and Bible and religion. He is a 2010 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School and attends Souderton Mennonite Church. Angela K. Bishop, daughter of J. Eric and Linda Bishop of … read more

Former missionaries encourage missional imagination

Authors Eleanor and Alan Kreider, longtime missionaries to the United Kingdom, encouraged leaders toward missional imagination at a monthly pastors’ breakfast on February 10. It is only by worshiping a God who is missional that God’s people can become missional, according to the Kreiders. We become like the God we worship, Alan said, “What kind of God are we worshiping? The deeper we get into God, the deeper we get into mission.” They pointed to Herm and Cindy Weaver, parents of a young mission worker who was killed by a 16-year-old boy who was texting while driving. The parents forgave the boy–and it made headlines. “They are shaped by their worship of a God who forgives them to be people … read more